A Look Back at the First Harry Potter Film's 2001 World Premiere

On Nov. 4, 2001, a very fresh-faced Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint hit the red carpet at London's Odeon theater for the world premiere of the franchise's first big-screen installment, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (released as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in the U.S.).

Radcliffe, then 11, gushed about his excitement for the star-making role, telling PEOPLE, “My face and my stomach are vibrating!"

When asked which of the titular wizard’s powers he’d like to have, Radcliffe named invisibility, observing,"That would be so cool, to be able to go anywhere without people knowing." (More than a decade later, that seems even less likely for the widely recognizable actor.)

In honor of the premiere’s 12th anniversary, check out these adorable throwback photos of the Potter gang a dozen years ago.